Chapter 29: Far from the Land of Fairy Tale
Author's Note:
Yes, the Pirate Song in this story (Saudade) is written by me. You're not going to find it on Youtube. Haha!
I had thousands of different dark emotions playing inside me at that time – each wanted to take me over; each wanted to dominate each other. My heart was suffering from fear and disappointment and I could feel it through the shaking of my hands and trembling of my lips. I wished I wasn't where I was. I wished I could just make myself disappear and escape to somewhere far away from here. I would have run away if not for Captain Rowaen who continuously stared at me which made the situation more uncomfortable.
Captain Rowaen and the Skull agreed to continue their conversation on the upper deck – a place where we could see the vastness of the sea and the powerful pirate ships surrounding the Pirate City. For some, it was breathtakingly beautiful but for me, it was a place to make me feel small and weak. And to make the situation worse, Captain Rowaen insisted to bring me with him. He said that it was to make it obvious for the Skull to see what he really wanted. And how I wished it wasn't what I was thinking; how I wished it wasn't what was going to happen.
"Look at that black ship amidst the other pirate ships. It is so unique and its darkness ignites power. You'll know what it is from a distance and you'll sense the fear while it's getting nearer and nearer to you that you'll have no choice but to prepare for a battle even though it will come in peace."
Captain Rowaen was leaning against the railing as he watched the ships around the grand vessel. He looked so proud of how powerful the Pirate City became and I couldn't but wonder how it started and how it would end. I stayed few steps behind him while the Skull remained silent at the back. I didn't want to turn and glance at him for it would be like looking back on the knife that cut me in half.
"Are you threatened by the Obsidian?"
I didn't know why I asked a question that might taunt him but before I finally realized what I just said, it was already too late to take it back. He looked at me and I could see darkness in his ocean blue eyes.
"And why would I be threatened by the Obsidian? Can't you see what I was trying to make you see? Yes, the Obsidian is a powerful pirate ship but it can never be matched to the power of the Pirate City. What I mean is that, if I choose to ruin it, then it will be a shipwreck in just a little time. Right, Skull?" He said and glanced at our back.
I remained to look ahead. I didn't want to acknowledge his presence. I wanted to pretend that he wasn't with us.
"There's a big difference between the Obsidian and the Pirate City. Is that what you're trying to say, Captain Rowaen?" The Skull replied.
I knew I just said that I didn't want to look at him but the sound of his voice made me want to turn around and hurry to his side. I clenched my fist and stopped myself. He said he would protect me but instead of doing what he promised, he made me feel fragile and weak. And even though we were facing Captain Rowaen together, I still felt that I should protect myself on my own.
The captain silently chuckled and said, "Always the smart one, the Skull. Is that how you defeated all your enemies?"
The Skull didn't answer. It was probably his best move because this wasn't his battleground. I knew that the captain wanted to belittle him and make the Obsidian look small in front of me.
"No one's going to argue about the power of the Pirate City because obviously, you have it and you're very proud of it," I said which made Captain Rowaen smirk on my direction. "However, my eyes will see what needs to be seen and I think we're seeing things differently," I continued.
The smirk on Captain Rowaen's face faded and was replaced by confusion. I could also feel the stare of the Skull at the back of my head. They seemed to be surprised at my guts to counter Captain Rowaen.
"And what are the things you see, my lovely Primrose?" He asked, challenging my ideas.
"I can see that we are in a grand vessel surrounded by hundreds of pirate ships," I answered.
"Obviously," the captain commented, chuckling.
"And we are in a bigger target; we can't hide or run away because we are in the middle of it. They look up at us thinking of the ways to bring us down. The Pirate City brags about being invincible and powerful while it is actually the walls that are making it safe and impregnable. And these walls are pirate ships that had been indebted to the Pirate City and these people are pirates – and what do you think pirates do? You can see this as a castle or a fortress while I see it as floating giant whale amidst hundreds of sharks. They are just waiting for the right time to devour their trapped meal."
It was followed by silence for a moment. No one dared to speak and I was starting to be conscious of what I just said. I turned and faced them, my cheeks flushing red. I saw Captain Rowaen looking surprised at me and then met the Skull's cold grey eyes; he still managed to look straight-faced.
"Are you telling me that these tiny, little pirate ships under my power are going to attack me?" The captain asked, amused.
"I'm saying that you are all pirates. I'm just stating what my eyes could see," I answered.
The captain became silent and pondered on what I just said. We remained on where we stood, waiting for him to manage his thoughts. It seemed that it wasn't every day that someone goes against his way. I tried stealing a glance towards the Skull but instead, I caught him staring intently on me. I could feel my cheeks becoming hotter and hotter and I knew that the sun had nothing to do with it.
After a few minutes of thinking, Captain Rowaen suddenly turned at us and walked to my side. He grabbed my hand and looked at the Skull, "I like her. She's who I want and you're going to give her to me, right?" He said with excitement in his eyes.
At that moment, his touch became burning steel that was ripping my skin apart. I instinctively pushed him away and got my hand back. I didn't want him touching me. I didn't want him getting near me.
"Oh, my Primrose!" Captain Rowaen started to walk towards me but he stopped when I stepped back.
"I am not your Primrose. I am not even owned by this bloodthirsty criminal! I am not owned by anyone!" I voiced out my fear and it sounded like a scream filled with hatred. Maybe, that was how I supposed to feel; to hate them.
"Primrose," the Skull tried to hold me but I pushed him away. I thought I could also escape him but instead, he caught me in just a second and grabbed my arm for me to face him.
"Don't touch me!" I shouted angrily at him.
I thought I saw hurt and disappointment crossed his face but I wasn't so sure because it only lasted for just a few seconds. Maybe it was my imagination. Maybe this pain and hatred made me see impossible things.
"What the fuck are you saying, Primrose?" He asked frustrated as I tried to squirm to get away from him.
I stopped amidst fighting and looked up at him. What? Did I see things in a wrong way? Did I not understand him?
"What?" I voiced out my confusion.
"What is this, Skull? I thought we're making a deal by trading her for the mermaid." Captain Rowaen looked confused as well. He also seemed to be disappointed.
The Skull turned to face the captain – his grey eyes had fiery ice in them and anyone who would stare at him would probably feel cold. But then, Captain Rowaen seemed to deal with it well and meet the Skull's eyes with his own blue ones.
"So you really think that I would give Primrose to you? You just met her and now, you're acting like she's the one you wanted all along," the Skull said.
"Don't play games with me," Captain Rowaen answered threateningly. He seemed to not like how the conversation was going.
"Have you forgotten about the thing you've always wanted?" The Skull asked.
I was getting more and more confused at how this was turning out. The Skull continued holding my arm and not letting me go. And I let him because I wanted to understand what was really happening.
"No f*cking way. That's completely impossible. It was an insane idea-–" Captain Rowaen looked at us incredulously. It seemed to appeal to him--whatever it was they were talking about. I frowned at them and tried pulling my arm back but instead of letting it go, the Skull's grip became tighter.
"It is possible and she's the way," the Skull said and turned to me.
I shifted irritably and faced them. "I am not some kind of decoration here so please tell me what's going on," I demanded.
I met the captain's eyes and this time, it was full of excitement. He was like a child who would receive the gift he had been waiting for a very long time. I was starting to get curious. What could be the thing that would excite a powerful pirate like Captain Rowaen? What would be the thing that was better than me?
"Is it true? Can you take me to the mainland? Can you take me to that fairytale land where Kings and Queens, Princes and Princesses, and knights and castles exist?" The captain asked.
I wasn't able to answer right away. So it was what he had been dreaming all this time-–to see the mainland. I wanted to tell him that the mainland was no fairytale and the royals do not exist and instead, it was led by four families from different parts of the land. I couldn't believe that pirates and even those from the Forsaken land thought that we were living some kind of fairy tale on the mainland. They looked so high of us that they wanted to bring us down.
"Why do you want to go to the mainland?" I asked instead. I wouldn't plan on putting my people at risk. He was Captain Rowaen – the captain of the Pirate City. Bringing him to our land would be considered as a treachery.
Captain Rowaen flashed a dreamy smile at me. He seemed to be seeing his imagination of the mainland in his mind. "I want to see it. I want to see different kinds of power – how they build it and how to bring it down. I want to know if the stories are true – that we won't be able to defeat their armies because of the great training and teaching. I want to see how civilized these people had been while we're sailing on the sea for the rest of our lives."
He was hungry for power. I couldn't believe that the Skull would let him step on the mainland. Did he really hate his homeland that he wanted to throw a ticking bomb on it?
"I will not let you go and ruin the mainland," I said coldly.
I looked up at the Skull to show my opposition to the treaty. I didn't want to risk the security of our families.
"It is the only way for you –"
I stopped the Skull from speaking by glaring at him. Was he really that insane? How could he endanger our families just to sail with the mermaid? I was starting to think that the Threy Weston I fell in love with was already gone and was completely replaced by this cold, heartless criminal.
"You can trade me for me the mermaid," I said trying to conceal the shakiness of my voice. "If there's a way to take out all the suffering of many people, then I would take it. Isn't that why the Obsidian was sailing on the sea? They were doing it to help the people of the Forsaken land. Isn't that why you're killing and committing such crimes? Or maybe, you were just doing those things because you're the Skull and you wanted to show how powerful you are."
They couldn't speak for a moment. I couldn't believe that I could silence these two pirates and it had nothing to do with the red-hair-and-emerald-dress-spell or even the naked-in-the-bathtub-with-rose-petals-and-fragrance-spell.
"I thought you are different," I said to the two of them. "But it seemed that you are no different from the ugly, fat king who's sitting on his throne and always hungry for power in your make-believe fairy tale. Excuse me, but I have to leave now for you are both disgusting me," I said and successfully pulled my arm from the Skull's grip. I marched away from them and no one dared to stop me from leaving. I was angry and disappointed and I knew that it was evident on my face for the pirates silently made way for me as I walked. I saw Owain in the grand hall of the Pirate City and when he saw me passing, he immediately left his ale on the table and hurried towards me. I remained quiet as he prepared the canoe for us to leave. I still couldn't contain my emotion--my hands were still shaking and I wanted to smash something hard on a wall. I just controlled myself because I didn't want to risk falling on the water while we're on our way back to the Obsidian.
Owain helped me climb the rope ladder, and it was frustrating because the dress I was wearing made it harder for me to move. When we finally reached the deck, he asked:
"What happened?"
I looked at him with tears brimming in my eyes. I shouldn't bawl my eyes out at him. I shouldn't let him see me in my weak state. But his question triggered the sea of emotions inside me and now, it was threatening to flood out.
"Are you dumped or something?" He asked again and annoyance overcame me.
I walked briskly towards him and punched his chest as hard as I could although he didn't even flinch a little.
"You are so stupid! How could you ask something so stupid?" I cried in front of him like a child who was bullied on the playground. He didn't dare speak again. He just stayed and listened to my weeping. And that was exactly what I needed: silence and someone to stay with me as I broke down to pieces.